Tic tic tic

No toc, just tics

Tics were a fact of life growing up in a farming community and summers spent hiking and camping. Back in the 70s and 80s, Rock Mountain Spotted Fever was the tic born disease that concerned everyone. Each night after a day outside we had to inspect ourselves for tics, and when found, removed them by pinching and turning them counterclockwise. A couple of summers they invaded our neighborhood yards. Most summers I would find a few on my dog. Do not recall the cats ever having any, but I could be mistaken. I know of no one who got Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

After 6 years in the navy, I returned to the area and camping now was of the reenacting variety. While I do not remember any one getting tics when reenacting, one of my pards did have Lyme Disease. I don’t think I ever learned when nor where he contracted it. He remains the only one I know who has had Lyme Disease. To be honest though, I am no longer in touch with any outdoorsy types back in the States.

Alpha Gal Syndrome is now the tic borne disease that has taken over the news. I have seen clips of boxes falling from the sky filled with tics once the people filming found where they landed. Saw one clip of a man’s dog’s bowl crawling with a large number of tics. Asked my mom about this over Zoom yesterday. She said that she has not seen any tics this year yet, and her dog spends much of the day in the fenced in back yard. However, she belongs to a Facebook group of people who post on the area’s restaurants, breweries, wineries and distilleries. She said that over the last few months there has been an explosion of people asking for restaurants that offered menu items that those with Alpha Gal Syndrome can